| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 46934 | Applied Catalysis B: Environmental | 2011 | 6 Pages |
Ordered mesoporous Bi2WO6 (M-Bi2WO6) with nanocrystalline walls was fabricated for the first time by a silica-templated nanocasting method with bismuth nitrate and phosphotungstic acid as precursors. The as-prepared mesoporous Bi2WO6 sample exhibited a much higher photocatalytic activity than the conventional hydrothermally synthesized nanoscale Bi2WO6 (HR-Bi2WO6) on the degradation of phenol which is quite toxic but widely used and slowly degradable in the environment. Almost 97% of the phenol molecules were degraded within 60 min along with the sharp decrease of total organic carbon (TOC) in 100 mL of phenol solution (20 mg/L) under visible-light irradiation. Compared with HR-Bi2WO6 sample, the M-Bi2WO6 sample exhibited a negative shift of conduction band edge potential and faster charge transfer property which helped to improve the photocatalytic performance.
Graphical abstractFigure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slideHighlights• Ordered mesoporous Bi2WO6 is firstly realized by nanocasting method. • It is used for photocatalytic oxidation of organic contaminants. • Its photocatalytic activity is significantly better than nonporous powder. • Electrochemical studies reveal the reasons for its high photocatalytic activity.
